Aftermath – Chapter 3 – The Interview

As Harry Potter walked into the headmistress's office at Hogwarts with Professor McGonagall and Mr. Weasley, all the old familiar things were there, including the Sword of Gryffindor, back in its glass case, the Sorting Hat, and the Pensive. The old headmasters and mistresses were asleep in their paintings with the exception of one. Dumbledore gazed at him with affection and Harry felt a lurch of sadness as he looked at his friend and teacher.

"Mending well? Good, good," said Kingsley Shacklebolt in his deep baritone voice. He was standing by Dumbol…no, now it was McGonagall's desk. She sat down in her chair and the rest soon joined her in chairs she conjured out of the air.

"So Harry, it's time we talked," Kingsley began.

"I suppose you want to know how I killed Voldemort," Harry said calmly.

Kingsley nodded. "Yes. As much as you think it is wise for us to know. Arthur insisted on being here to protect your rights."

"My…my…rights?"

"Oh, yes, Harry," Mr. Weasley said. "You are of age but I think its best if you have someone here who knows the ins and outs of the Ministry. In fact, the Minister here wanted to question Ron and Hermione also, but I think we've now talked him out of that."

"Indeed," said Professor McGonagall with a stern gaze. "They have been through enough. If I had my way, Potter would be back in the hospital wing. Surely this can wait until things have settled down."

"Minerva," came a voice and Harry almost jumped, for it was Dumbledore's painting that had spoken, making it seem as if he was still alive. "Kingsley is only doing his job. He needs to know some things. He needs to explain it to the rest of the wizarding world. We need to avoid any rumors at the beginning."

"Sorry, Kingsley," said McGonagall. "But my dealings with the Ministry of Magic these past three years has been less than…satisfactory."

"Quite all right, Professor, perfectly understandable" said Kingsley looking a little taken aback at the situation but still his calm self, mostly. "I am and always will be a member of the Order of the Phoenix first. My position as Minister is not set in stone yet. But, Dumbledore is quite right. All day I have been pestered by endless questions about what happened and is Voldemort really dead."

"I reckon that last part is right," said Harry. "I heard Hagrid say how you destroyed his body and threw the ashes in the lake."

"Yes," said Mr. Weasley. "It was done. But, Harry, we need to know….will he ever come back?"

"No," said Harry and Dumbledore together and Harry looked at his portrait and grinned slightly at him.

"Then," said Kingsley. "Can someone please explain why you are so certain, so I can see if I can explain it to the rest of us?"

Harry looked at Dumbledore and the old headmaster nodded his head slightly. Harry took a deep breath and began.

"Voldemort had divided his soul into seven pieces. He made six Horcruxes on purpose and a seventh unwilling. I, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Professor Dumbledore, and Voldemort himself destroyed them all. So his soul is destroyed and now his body is too. And he can't come back."

"I couldn't have put it better myself,' said Dumbledore.

The three were just staring at Harry in shock and some puzzlement. "Horcruxes!" said Professor McGonagall in awe. "Seven of them!"

Kingsley was speechless and Mr. Weasley just looked at Harry in confusion. "Forgive me, but what is a Horcrux?"

"An object where someone can hide part of their soul, once it's been split," said McGonagall, and Harry was not really surprised she knew about Horcruxes. From his silence and the look of horror on his face Kingsley Shacklebolt also had some understanding of Horcruxes.

Understanding now dawned on Mr. Weasley and his face was first horrified and then, almost proud, as he looked at Harry in wonder. "And you three….Ron, my son…you were looking for them all last year? That was the mission? And you found them? And destroyed them all?"

"Two were already destroyed before we set off last year," Harry said and then came the puzzled looks and more questions and for over an hour they spoke as Harry recounted all the adventures that took place since the three had been last seen at Bill and Fleur's wedding nine months ago. Not the whole story, because some parts were too personal, such as his visit to his parent's grave, and the unsettling vision he and Ron had seen emerge from Salazar Sytherin's locket. But the rest he told, as much as he could. The story about Professor Dumbledore's curse caused by the Horcrux in the ring and his imminent death brought looks of horror from them and a few glances towards Dumbledore. They had heard Harry tell Voldemort that Dumbledore had arranged his own death but not the reasons why.

Harry told them what had happened in the battle, how he had seen Voldemort's snake kill Snape and that Snape's body was in the Shrieking Shack. He related some of what he had seen in the Pensive about Snape, leaving out a lot of the details about Snape and his mother, except for the fact that Snape had loved her, which everyone had heard him say in the Great Hall anyway. But he did tell them how Snape was a double agent for Dumbledore and how he had brought them the Sword of Gryffindor.

McGonagall looked at Dumbledore. "And you knew how he felt about…Lily….that is why you trusted him all those years?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "Professor Snape has done more to bring about the downfall of Voldemort than anyone else with the exception of Harry."

"And you, Professor," Harry said to the portrait and Dumbledore just nodded and smiled at this gesture of praise from Harry.

Harry continued the story, but decided not to mention the Deathly Hallows, or using the Resurrection Stone, or seeing his parents, Sirius and Lupin. That was also too personal. Then when he explained about Voldemort killing him, he stopped, seeing the utter confusing on all three faces.

"I wasn't really dead," he said. "He just killed the piece of his soul that was inside me."

And that took more time to explain. Harry also never mentioned about being at King's Cross Station with Dumbledore. He didn't know how these headmaster and mistresses paintings worked, didn't know if this Dumbledore knew about King's Cross station or had a connection to the Dumbledore he had meet or if it had all been just really inside his head. But it wasn't something Harry would ever tell anyone except those two he had already told and maybe Ginny in the future.

At last he got up to where Neville killed the snake. "And you know the rest from there."

"And the snake was the last one?" Mr. Weasley asked. "How did Neville know it was a Horcrux?"

"He didn't know that it was a Horcrux. I told him if he got the chance to kill the snake, do it anyway he could. So when he got the sword…hold on a minute. I traded that sword with Griphook to get into Gringotts. How did it get back in the Sorting Hat?"

"The Sword of Gryffindor was no more yours to trade than it was for Griphook to keep," said Dumbledore. "It belongs to Hogwarts. My adding it to my will for you was an attempt to make you realize you needed it to help destroy the Horcruxes. I knew they would never give it to you. So I had Professor Snape deliver it to you. After Neville declared his allegiance to me in the face of imminent death from Voldemort, he proved his bravery and the Sorting Hat allowed him to draw out the Sword of Gryffindor."

"Just like I did in the Chamber of Secrets," said Harry, understanding at last.

After this last bit was over, and they had digested all of this information, Kingsley looked at Harry. "And where is the Elder Wand now?"

Harry looked at Dumbledore again and again the portrait nodded. Harry pulled two wands out of the pouch Hagrid had given him that was around his neck. One was his phoenix feather core wand and the other was the Elder Wand.

He held up the Elder Wand. "Here it is."

The three of them looked at it in what could only be called awe. After a moment, McGonagall looked at Dumbledore. "All these years, it was yours. I had seen it so often, yet you never said a word."

"Of course not," Dumbledore replied. "If I had, I would not have kept it for long I think. Not that you would have tried to take it Minerva, but others are not as strong of character as you and would have been sorely tempted." Harry was sure he almost saw the faintest hint of a blush on McGonagall's face as she thanked Dumbledore for his kind words.

Now Kingsley looked at Harry with a serious intensity. "What will you do with it, Harry?"

"I'm going to hide it," he answered, the plan he had made in his mind earlier that day still there.

Kingsley nodded. "Good. Put it somewhere safe, remove the memory from your mind. But, Harry, know this. Many people heard you and Voldemort talking before he died. The Great Hall was filled. Some may think that you now have the Elder Wand and may try to take if from you."

Harry felt a cold shiver of shock. "But…I don't want it! I won't ever use it!"

Mr. Weasley sighed. "Yes, Harry, but if someone…beats you…then the Elder Wand will owe them allegiance. As Dumbledore has said, that might be a temptation too great for some to resist."

"Beat me…you mean kill me, don't you?" Harry said.

"Not necessarily," Dumbledore said. "I did not kill Grindelwald nor did you kill Draco Malfoy to win its allegiance. But I am afraid Kingsley and Arthur are correct. I fear some may come after you because of the Elder Wand."

"Then let's destroy it!" Harry said quickly.

"Can it be destroyed?" McGonagall asked Dumbledore.

"I think not," Professor Dumbledore said after a long moment of silence. "The magic made to create it so many centuries ago is very powerful."

"What should we do?" Harry asked with a sigh. Won't his troubles ever end?

"For now, hide it," Kingsley said.

"But where?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"I…," Harry started to speak, hesitated, and then decided to tell them. "I was going to put it back where it belongs. With Professor Dumbledore."

At once the others agreed with Harry and McGonagall said they had best do it now while it was dark. Before Harry knew it they were walking out of the castle and down the slopes to where Dumbledore's broken tomb stood near the lake. With great reverence Harry lay the Elder Wand with Dumbledore's body. With a few flicks of her wand, McGonagall closed the grave over and the white tomb was re-erected with no sign of ever being broken.

"And now," she said to the others. "I believe we need to erase the memory of where we have hidden the Elder Wand. But who should do the charm and remain the only one who knows where it is?"

"Why can't we just remove our memories, like I've seen done with the Pensive?" Harry asked.

"That does not destroy the memory. A form would still be there for someone to see," Kingsley said, then looked at McGonagall. "I think Minerva, that as the most able among us and as the one who shall remain at Hogwarts, you should remain the only secret keeper of the location of the Elder Wand."

Before she could protest, Harry and Mr. Weasley agreed. "Very well," McGonagall said. "Let us first return to my office."

Ten minutes later they had returned and McGonagall had removed the memory of the location of the Elder Wand from all three of their memories. To Harry it seemed like there was a brief moment where he felt like things had stood still and then people were taking again and he had no recollection of leaving the office at all.

"Quite," Dumbledore's portrait was saying. "Also, we should leave any mention of the Elder Wand out of any public announcements of the events at Hogwarts. After all, it is just a legend." As he said this last there was a slight twinkle in his blue eyes.

As Harry listened he thought, where is the Elder Wand?…Oh, I know…oh, right…its…but….no, it is safe…hidden…no…oh, never mind.

Harry snapped out of it, and heard Kingsley speaking. "Good. However, there is that other matter to discuss."

All three looked at Harry and he felt like they were looks of pity. "What?' he finally said, feeling slightly ashamed at how rude he sounded.

"Harry," Mr. Weasley began in a gentle tone. "Not all of the Death Eaters have been accounted for."

"Oh," he said. "Well, if you are worried about me…."

"We are," said Kingsley.

"But…I defeated Voldemort, their leader," Harry sputtered. "Why would they come after me? Aren't they afraid of me?"

"Harry," Professor Dumbledore began. "You had a unique relationship with Voldemort that gave you the ability to defeat him. But if some Death Eater finds you in a lonely park without your wand handy and your mind on other things…the outcome may be different."

Harry gulped. He knew he wasn't invincible, but he had killed Voldemort. He had done everything they had asked. The Death Eaters were fleeing, were dead, were captured, were afraid…no, that was wrong, they had never been afraid of him. Not Lucius Malfoy, nor Bellatrix Lestrange. They didn't kill him because Voldemort had ordered them not to. Harry was reminded of just how lucky he had been in all of those encounters.

"What…what can I do?"

"Become an Auror," said Kingsley with a smile.

"An Auror…?" Harry replied in awe. "But…I never finished Hogwarts…I didn't take N.E.W.T. exams. Anyways, aren't I a bit too young?"

"Old enough for me," said Kingsley. "And certainly brave enough. You have done more magic than most wizards twice your age. You can begin the training right away."

Harry was stunned. It was his dream, to be an Auror. He looked at Professor McGonagall. "But what about N.E.W.T's and graduation?'

"You are certainly welcome back to finish your seventh year. But I think it is best to start Auror training as soon as possible."

Harry looked at Mr. Weasley. "I quite agree. If my daughter is going to be on your arm, I want you to be the best trained wizard in the world."

Harry blushed deeply and they all had a small chuckle. They talked for few more minutes on some minor details. Harry was not a bit surprised that the goblins of Gringotts had banned him from ever using the bank again and that he was to withdraw his gold immediately. That is if any was left because they also wanted him, Ron, and Hermione to pay for all the damage they had caused. There was also the matter of the missing dragon, which the goblins demanded returned or at least replaced. Kingsley promised he would do his best to smooth this over and Harry put it from his mind for the moment. Soon Harry was being led back to the hospital wing by Mr. Weasley as the others stayed behind to discuss matters.

"Mr. Weasley…how are you?" Harry asked after they had left the circular stairway and were walking back through the dimly lit corridors to the hospital wing.

Mr. Weasley sighed and Harry knew he knew what he meant. He stopped and looked at Harry. "I..I knew it was much to ask that we would get out of this, all of us I mean, well and safe. I had dared hope that fate had taken enough from us with the attacks on Bill and George. But…well…it was not to be."

Harry gulped and held back the tears he knew were forming in his eyes.

"You're a good b…man, Harry Potter," Mr. Weasley said to him after a long moment of silence. "And I don't want you listening to any rubbish in the next few weeks. People will say things and will ask questions and you will be a hero to most, but not all. Some people are going to lose a lot, more than the last time. There will be trials. Azkaban will have some new occupants. We'll find those Death Eaters. They have no friends, no leader, no hope anymore. Things are going to be hard for a bit, but we'll pull through. The joy of this morning's victory will be tempered by more sober thought in the days to come. You just have a rest and concentrate on your training, and let some of us take the burden off you for a while."

"Yes, sir," Harry said as they continued walking.

"Oh, by the way, Harry, about Ginny," Mr. Weasley said just as they reached the hospital wing doors. "I guess you've already figured this out, but you have mine and Molly's blessing."

Harry couldn't help but blush again. "Thank you, Mr. Weasley."

"Arthur, call me Arthur, Harry," he said. "I knew she always fancied you, Harry. Couldn't get her to stop talking about you after she first met you. Course, she couldn't talk at all when you were in the room."

"Yeah, I remember. Bit odd, I thought."

"Well, turned out well in the end, eh?" Mr. Weasley said looking at the door of the hospital wing. "And Ron and Hermione, getting on well, are they?"

"Ah…yes…yes, they are."

"Good, good. About time he did something about her. Lovely girl."

Harry grinned and would have laughed a bit if things weren't a might too serious right now. "Reckon he was the last one to figure it out."

"No, he knew," Mr. Weasley said and then looked at Harry. "Don't say anything to him about this, but, just between me and you, Ron's had a hard time, having older brothers. Not been easy living up to them, success they've had and all that, hard on the old confidence. So, even though I'm sure he liked her, he couldn't get around the fact that he didn't believe that someone as nice as Hermione could like him or that she would reciprocated any feelings he had. You follow?"

"Ah,…sort of," Harry lied. He knew exactly what Mr. Weasley meant. He had seen all of Ron's fears and feelings lay bare when the locket of Salazar Slytherin had been opened. Older brothers weren't the only ones Ron thought he had to live up to, and Harry felt a pang of guilt believing he had caused his friend to feel unwanted and unloved by the girl who probably loved him more than any other in the world.

"Well, took me a few moments too so don't worry. Molly explained it all to me once." And then Mr. Weasley's eyes clouded over at the thought of his wife.

"How is she?" Harry asked.

"Still…stunned. We all are," he said as he shook his head sadly and sighed. "Anyway, you'll see her soon. Let's get the others and off we go to the Burrow."

"The Burrow?"

"Yes, yes. Many things to do, to…arrange."

"I understand. But Mr… Arthur, I've got my own home. Sirius left me Grimmauld Place."

"True, true, but you'll need to stay away for now. We've got some people working on it, to make sure no Death Eaters know its location. After what happened with Yaxley breaking the protective charm, we might have to redo it."

"I can learn how and do it myself and become Secret Keeper."

"Good, good. Now, let's go home," Mr. Weasley said in a weary voice as they pushed open the hospital wing doors.